Tax shift and shaft

So LeRage has proposed the suspension of Revenue sharing to municipalities. This is nothing less than the State keeping taxes that are generated at the local level, often as the result of local communities making investments that have resulted in an increase in the collection of sales/income tax. And now the Despot in chief wants to keep all of the gold for himself. Simply means an unavoidable property tax increase. If anyone thinks that a local government will cut thier expenses to make up this loss of revenus is out of touch. Cut education $$, cut revenue sharing, pass along costs, and then take credit for a tax cut.

That has as much legitimacy as complaining about double dipping retirement benefits, when your chief financial person is doing the same thing.

I thought MidCoast was talking about the liberal agenda. I think LePage learned this from the dems, and why won't local towns cut spending and besides liberals love taxes so if you do not want to cut raise them, you can just say it is for the children, right MidCoast ?

I look at this as an opportunity to put old Joe Taxpayer back into a position where he can make a difference.
The voter apathy at the local level is disgusting to me.
Maybe this will wake people up to the fact that we can't support all these programs, and by dumping it back on the towns, people will finally have a say in how their money is spent.
It also could be the catalyst for taking our schools back.

Auburn is already crying about this, but the school still plans on expanding the IPad program. We give all kindergarteners IPads and the school plans to expand to other grades. People need to get involved at the local level because there just is no more money to squeeze out of the property owner!

Hey maybe this will wakeup these taxpayers as to what is really happening. Most have no clue! They figure that the state or feds can come up with free money to cover all the expensive programs. This ignoring of the truth has been going on for years and now the results are coming home to roost.
We are getting closer to the time when the wagon stops because those pulling have nothing left to give. When that happens and those in the wagon realize that the free lunches and welfare are no longer there, all hell is going to happen. I can't wait!
I am so tired of the pulling I don't really care any longer whether I have to die in the resulting chaos or pulling the wagon as both are more than I wish to live with any longer. The Governor is smart to push this back to where people will better understand the awesome load that is being put on what few are left doing the pulling.
Our governments have created a nightmare society, not a great society, and the results are loathsome and will result in the death of a once great nation that was ruined by excessive feel good ideas that spawned a nation of loafers and lay-a-bouts. Common sense and history will show that has ruined every nation that allowed it to happen.
LaPage may be a bit rough around the edges but he gets it and tells it like it is. I like that in a man!

The state spending is known by the public as blurbs in the media while the local spending is in the form of a tax bill that they have to write a check for or dig in their wallet for one or two times per year. The local property tax is more personal and in the case of state or federal it is taken silently and unseen from your paycheck. The closer the payment is to the very pocket ones money comes from the more personal and hurtful it is. My guess is that LePage fully realizes that and you have to give him credit for his astuteness.

It's obvious that the legislators we send there aren't up to the task.
Put it on a local level where the taxpayers can control spending at their respective venues.
Same goes for general assistance.
Give me some control over it.
I feel I have none now.

Gaffer, you may not realize that many homeowners who have a mortgage, especially a first mortgage, have their property taxes paid with their monthly mortgage payments. And they're not writing a check - it 's an electronic transfer from their bank. So, the property tax is just about as invisible to them as the income tax.

When it comes to spending for local projects, wouldn't it be better if the municipalities were the ones collecting the taxes instead of the State? Wouldn't it increase the sovereignty of the municipality to decide how the money is spent? Wouldn't it increase the ability of the local citizens to have a say in that spending?

It would appear that the Governor is on the right track toward delegating spending priorities to the local municipalities where it can be more effectively controlled.
His efforts in the past such as GE reform and now, shifting some responsibility onto the LOCAL property tax structure are, in essence, what he was elected to do.

In my little corner of the world, this would probably double my already too high tax bill.
I can deal with that if I can have some input on how it's spent at my LOCAL town meeting.

Mainemom

It has to start somewhere.
Alas, you may be right as the attitude of both D and R legislators seems to be that only they know how best to spend my money.

The next time a republican majority is achieved, it would be good to make sure all are republicans.

Not why I voted for him. This reminds me of "school consolidation." That was just another way to shift spending on to the property tax payer and have more money in the state general fund for MaineCare. It had nothing to do with local control. Where were you guys when Baldacci did this kind of shift? Were you standing on the sidelines shaking your pom-poms then?

Smoke and mirrors being used to consolidate union power and exert that power over the towns.
As our GOP representatives, where was the outrage from Republicans over this obvious shift of power.

J.Mckane
The attitude of the elected representatives is what needs to be changed for this country to get back on track.
You as a (former) representative DO NOT know best how to spend my money.
I want that decision to be made at a closer level where I can more easily control it.